New Beginnings

So I’m clearly not great at this blogging malarkey, but I’m gonna give it another shot! Everyone needs somewhere to offload right?! And if I can help someone even a little, then I may as well make the effort.

So, I’ve split my blogs in two…

Anything is possible if you try 

My personal blog – all about me, my adventures, diet, and general rantings! You are here aready – please stick around!

Belief in One Day (BIOD).

My spritual blog – Will be full of positive affirmations, meditations, and things to make us all feel good. I’ll explain more over there. So go check it out, and let me know if there is anything you want me to talk about on either site.

I’m only just starting to put these together, so please be patient, share hints, tips, and questions.

Ciao for now

xxx

Cravings…

So as I said before I’ve been Vegan now just over a month. And during that time I have not had a single food craving. Which is weird for me, because I used to get them all the time. I used to just smell something and want it, sometimes I didn’t even have to smell it!!!

Sure I sometimes see things and wish there was a vegan version, but I really don’t want it if there isn’t. I have zero desire for anything that contains animal products in it. Now I have zero will power so if I did crave it I would have given in and eaten something I shouldnt by now. But I havent and I couldn’t be prouder of myself

WATER!!!
The only thing I ever find myself craving now is water. I started to hydrate properly about a month before I went vegan. I knew I wasnt hydrating properly and so finally did something about it. People don’t really talk about this stuff but … you should be weeing almost clear, and several times a day. Not drinking enough water not only impacts your kidneys but the whole of your digestive system and I know if I don’t drink enough I feel sluggish and irritable. But we forego sufficient hydration for the convenience of not having to visit the bathroom more than twice a day!

EMOTIONAL/ HORMONAL EATING
Going hand in hand with the cravings used to be emotional eating. I don’t even really do that anymore. My family has suffered a couple of losses recently. One only two weeks ago. And not once during that time have I felt the need to gorge on anything. Which again isnt typically me. I also find now that my moods have evened out. I used to get emotional swings often. My doctor put it down to me being female (“it’s just your menstrual cycle – nothing to worry about”). I worried that I was bordering on bi-polar. It turns out that my doctor was right in part. I think it was my hormones. I think they were just out of whack because of my diet. Now I’m no doctor and I could be very wrong. Who really knows?!

I know its only been a month, but I feel so much better than before. Not everyone will. Some people will struggle at first, or even for a while, but the longer I eat this way the more I know that this is right for me. And I’m thankful that I took that step. Heres hoping you all find a lifestyle that suits you and your body.
xxx

I changed my diet and feel fantastic

Hey!

So a lot has changed since my last post in April.  I have found it really difficult to find a diet that suits me, and that I can keep up in the long-term. I’ve tried them all – Weight Watchers, Slimming World, Atkins etc and none have stuck and all make me feel worse than when I started. So I went and did some research… lots of research actually.  I’ve been looking specifically at foods and or lifestyles and their impact on our health. I’ve read medical reports, watched YouTube videos and read text books. It’s quite personal to me as I have lost people and watched others battle bad health and I don’t want to go through the same thing, or for my son to watch me go through it.

SO I CHANGED MY DIET
After much deliberation, on the 31st July I switched to a Vegan diet. This means I no longer eat meat, dairy or drink/ use milk in anything. I have to say after one month I feel fantastic. I feel more alert, lighter and I no longer get stomach pains or any digestive discomfort. And as a bonus I’ve lost nearly a stone in weight already. I am still finding my way with my new lifestyle, and I know it will take some time, but I know I’m doing whats right for me.

EATING OUT DILEMMA
Eating out has been difficult – most chain restaurants don’t really cater for Vegans, but I have emailed a few local places before I visit and they have seemed more than happy to accommodate me. I still feel really guilty when doing that though and even more so when my family have to do something different for me. It feels like I’m being awkward. In fairness it probably looks like I am, but I’m doing it for my health and wellbeing so I think I should get a pass! 🙂

THE VITAMIN AND MINERAL DEBATE
For those that like to panic about Vitamins and Minerals, please do your research before having a go at me. Also note that I do currently take Floradix, which is an Iron & B12 supplement.  I started taking it as a meat eater as I get anaemic quite often, and so I decided to stick with it for now, but I do plan to come off it once I have settled into this properly.

EXERCISE
So I havent really upped my exercise yet. Although saying that i do go for more walks now and am consciously driving my car less. Before I went on holiday last week I was walking everyday and even felt like running at one point. Given the lack of Vegan friendly food where I was, my diet suffered a little (although I stuck to Vegan) and my energy levels dipped, so I’m working my way back up to it.  But it goes to show that what you eat, or what I eat anyways has a huge impact on how I feel and my energy levels.

Anyhow, thats all I have for now.  I’ll keep you updated as to how I get on.  If you ahve any hints, tips or recipes, please let me know.

xxx